A fight to save the Pilliga
Farmer says CSG wells will ‘destroy the aquifer’
FIVE years ago, David Chatwick had his introduction to coal seam gas.
The stock and station agent of more than 30 years knew nothing about the industry and had heard various conflicting reports.
When Santos announced its Narrabri Gas Project in northwest New South Wales in the Pilliga State Forest near Mr Chatwick’s home, he decided to look into the industry.
He booked himself a seat on the Santos tour of the Pilliga, but Mr Chatwick said it didn’t take long for him to discover “a lot didn’t add up”.
“A woman asked if the project would have an impact on the Great Artesian Basin...‘No, it’s out past the river’, was the reply,” he said.
“I assumed he (the spokesman) was referring to the closest river being the Castlereagh, over 100km away.
“I phoned a friend when we got back who couldn’t believe my question.
“Chaddy, it’s one (the Pilliga State Forest) of three recharge zones for the Great Artesian Basin and the most
critical,’ my friend said.”
Santos is looking to drill up to 850 wells within 1000 hectares of the forest in northern New South Wales.
Mr Chatwick said it’s a move that would destroy the Great Artesian Basin.
“The thing is, in Australia we lack foresight. You just have to look at the Condamine River catching fire,” he said.
“We need to be looking to the future. We can’t plunder out greatest natural resource.”
As a farmer and feedlot owner in the region, Mr Chatwick said it was alarming how all the politicians seemed to sing to the same hymn sheet.
“The Great Artesian Basin is under 22 per cent of Australia – we’re the driest continent on earth,” he said.
“Our local member Kevin Humphries – who is set to retire at the end of this term – has been very scathing to anyone who talks bad of gas in the Pilliga.”
Mr Chatwick has discussed the Narrabri Gas Project with local Aboriginal elders who said Coonamble used to be a meeting place.
“When the white people arrived, the water wasn’t good enough and so they invented bores,” he said.
“The thing about bores is, they fail – sinking or otherwise.
“All the bores were starting to drop pressure and wouldn’t flow any more.
“They had to cap the bores and run pipes to re-pressurise the Great Artesian Basin. At the time they understood how critical it was, now we will mine gas.”
Mr Chatwick said fracking put agriculture’s clean, green image in jeopardy.
“No one talks about the jobs agriculture generates or the growth of ag,” he said.
“Politicians have allowed the fox to be in charge of the hen house, allowing mining to be a self-regulating industry.
“Within the first 25 exploration wells they contaminated an aquifer 22 times over the legal limit. The scary thing, it was investigated and reported to the EPA by the public.
“What happens after they drill 850 wells, have 10 per cent fail on drilling, when all the toxic salt and water leaches back into the GAB or runs down the rivers?
“How’s our reputation in Japan when they test the beef?” he said.
“How’s the farmer doing spraying out of his bore, goes onto wheat, goes to the feedlot – the potential ramifications are massive.”
Through his feedlot, Mr Chatwick puts 100,000 servings of beef onto tables each day.
“Coonamble was also the largest receiving site for Grain Corp last year in NSW,” he said.
“No one is talking about the one billion dollars worth of produce our region made in 2016.
“We have to have food. I understand we need energy, but do you destroy an aquifer for new technologies? Once the milk is in the tea, you can’t get it out.”
Mr Chatwick said the most frustrating thing was being told to “trust the science”.
“Is that the same science that gave us the PFAS water contamination issue in Katherine in the Territory?” he said.
“Or the Murray Darling problems or the bubbling Condamine River that can burst into flames?”
Mr Chatwick said of those surveyed in the district, 97 per cent voted against the Narrabri Gas Project.
“Four and a half million hectares of the Moree, Warrumbungle, Gilgandra, Coonamble and Warren Shires have declared themselves CSG free after surveys,” he said.
“On top of this a record 7000 submissions were received in response to the Santos EIS.
“A 61.6 per cent vote for gay marriage brought the politicians to tears. What does it take for them to understand the opposition to this industry and respond to those who put them in charge?”
Last week Rural Weekly reported on the Western Slopes Pipeline proposal – a line to join the Pilliaga State Forest CSG wells to the Moomba Sydney Pipeline.
While the proposed route for the pipeline travels through Mr Chadwick’s property, he said it’s just “one part of the snake”.
No one is talking about the one billion dollars worth of produce...”
— David Chatwick